Pelargonium plant named ‘Fislore’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Pelargonium  particularly characterized by having brilliant-orange, semi-double, round flowers, relatively short peduncles, medium-green distinctly-zoned foliage, a relatively compact growth habit during greenhouse cultivation, a round to bushy plant habit, an early to mid-season flowering response, continuously flowering, and growing medium to tall in size is disclosed.

Genus and species: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Variety denomination: ‘Fislore’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofPelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, resp. a hybridof Pelargonium zonale L'Héritier and hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name ‘Fislore’. The new cultivar is a product of a plannedbreeding program which had the objective of creating new varietieshaving orange flowers, a good stability of flower color, medium greenfoliage, and suitable for the range of medium-sized varieties. ‘Fislore’was discovered as a seedling resulting from a cross between the femaleparent, ‘Fisrocky Orange’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,365), which hasorange-red, semi-double flowers, deep green foliage with narrowzonation, and a medium-sized plant habit and the male parent, ‘Dueimap’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,241), which has bright orange, semi-doubleflowers, grass-green foliage without or with very slight zonation, and amedium-sized plant habit.

The new cultivar was created in 2000 in Hillscheid, Germany, and hasbeen asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings in Galdar,Gran Canaria, Spain, and Hillscheid, Germany, over a four-year period.‘Fislore’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions, thus, the phenotype may vary significantly with variationsin the environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.It has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics throughsuccessive asexual propagations. ‘Fislore’ reproduces true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in Germany onJun. 2, 2004. No sales or offers for sale of this cultivar were madebefore early July 2004.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal commercialpractices in Hillscheid, Germany.

-   -   1. Round, brilliant-orange, semi-double flowers with good        stability of flower color;    -   2. Floriferous with medium-sized inflorescences on relatively        short peduncles;    -   3. Medium-green foliage with distinct zonation;    -   4. Medium-sized or taller outdoors, with an initially compact        habit;    -   5. A rounded and well-branched plant habit; and    -   6. An early to mid-season flowering response and fair rain        resistance.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

This new geranium plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant; the colors shown areas true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographicprocedures. The photograph is of a twelve-week-old plant grown fromrooted cuttings, in 14-cm pots, left un-pinched, and grown undergreenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used incommercial practice.

FIG. 1. shows overall plant habit with blooms, buds, and foliage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Fislore’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inHillscheid, Germany. The plant history was taken on twelve-week-old,un-pinched plants in 14-cm pots in a greenhouse during mid-May. Thecolor readings were determined under natural light in mid-May fromflowers grown in a greenhouse. Color references are to The R.H.S. ColourChart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2001).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Pelargonium×hortorum, resp. a hybrid of            Pelargonium zonale L'Héritier.        -   Common name.—Geranium.        -   Parentage.—Female parent: ‘Fisrocky Orange’ (U.S. Plant Pat.            No. 12,365). Male parent: ‘Dueimap’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.            13,241).-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Shrub, self-branching, rounded shape.        -   Branching habit.—6-8 branches per plant.        -   Height.—13.5 cm for a 9 week-old plant (measured from base            of stem to the tips of the branches, excluding the            inflorescences).        -   Width.—24.5 cm for a 9 week-old plant.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—For spring            flower response in Hillscheid, Germany, in 2004, plants have            an average of 0.5 opened inflorescences 8 weeks after            planting rooted cuttings.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Plants continuously flower; a            flower count in mid-May of 2004 in Hillscheid, Germany            indicated about 4-5 inflorescences per plant.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Immature leaf.—Color: medium green. Upper surface: RHS 137C            (medium-green). Lower surface: RHS 137D (medium-green).        -   Mature leaf.—Color: Upper surface: RHS 137C (medium-green).            Lower surface: RHS 137D. Length: 5.5 cm. Width: 8.7 cm.        -   Zonation color.—RHS 166A (brown) with a medium distinctness.        -   Zonation diameter.—Inner ring is 3.7 cm while the band or            belt of zonation is 1.2 cm wide.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Shape.—Kidney-shaped with weak lobes with narrow gap between            lowest lobes and somewhat wavy.        -   Margin.—Bi-crenate.        -   Texture.—Upper surface is smooth, dull, and velvety.-   Petioles:    -   -   Length.—5.5-6.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 143B (light-green).        -   Texture.—Covered with slight pubescence.-   Stems:    -   -   Length.—7.0-9.0 cm.        -   Internode length.—0.5-1.0 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 143B (green).        -   Texture.—Appear smooth with slight pubescence.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Length.—1.5 cm.        -   Width.—0.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Color of sepals (just before sepals unfold).—RHS 143C            (light-green).        -   Color of petals (just before petals unfold).—RHS 40A.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—An umbel composed of 25-35 flowers.        -   Umbel diameter.—9.0 cm.        -   Umbel depth (height).—5.2 cm.        -   Umbel shape.—Semi-spherical.        -   Lastingness of umbel on the plant.—About 16 days.        -   Peduncle.—Length: 12.0 cm. Diameter: 4.0-5.0 mm. Texture:            Weak pubescence. Color: RHS 143C (light-green).        -   Pedicel.—Length: 2.5 cm. Diameter: 1.5 mm. Texture: weak            pubescence. Color: RHS 143C (light-green) near base and RHS            181A to RHS 181B (brown) at the upper end.-   Corolla:    -   -   Diameter.—4.2 cm.        -   Form.—Semi-double.        -   Shape.—Round outline with both the upper petals and lower            petals roughly of the same size and cup-shaped and having            somewhat irregularly directed inner petals.        -   Number of petals.—8-9.        -   Petaloids.—Number: 0-2. Shape: Narrow. Color: RHS 40A to RHS            40B.        -   Lastingness of individuals flowers on the plant.—8 days at            18° C.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Petals:    -   -   Upper petals.—Length: 2.4-2.5 cm. Width: 2.0-2.1 cm. Color:            Upper surface: Between RHS 40A and RHS 40B. Lower surface:            From RHS 41A to RHS 41B (orange). Markings: RHS 46D (dull            red) fine veins.        -   Lower petals.—Length: 2.2 cm. Width: 1.9-2.0 cm. Color:            Upper surface: RHS 40B. Lower surface: Between RHS 41B and            RHS 41C. Markings: Absent.        -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire or slightly crenated at the tip.        -   Texture.—Smooth, slightly glossy.-   Sepals:    -   -   Number.—5.        -   Length.—0.9-1.0 cm.        -   Width.—0.3-0.4 cm for the largest upper sepal and 0.2-0.3 cm            for the other sepals.        -   Shape.—Linear to lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Very weak pubescence.        -   Color.—For both upper and lower surfaces, RHS 143C            (light-green) with a RHS 179A (brown) spot near base.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Number of anthers: 2-5. Filament color: Mainly            RHS 155D (white) to RHS 41B at upper end. Filament length:            7.0 mm. Pollen color: RHS 26A (yellow-orange). Pollen            amount: Moderate.        -   Gynoecium.—Pistil number: 1. Pistil length: 7.0 mm. Stigma            color: RHS 43D (salmon-pink). Stigma shape: 5-6 lobed. Style            color: RHS 43D (salmon-pink). Style length: 3.0 mm. Style            shape: Filiform, filament-like, with the lobes of the stigma            at right angles.-   Fruit/seed set: No seed set observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: Average susceptibility or tolerance    and no special observations made.

COMPARISON WITH KNOWN CULTIVARS

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to ‘Fislore’ are the varieties ‘Fisrocky Orange’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,365) and ‘Fip 440’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,964).

Cultivar ‘Fislore’ differs from the female parent ‘Fisrocky Orange’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,365) in that ‘Fislore’ has medium-green foliageand distinct zonation while ‘Fisrocky Orange’ has dark green foliage.Additionally, ‘Fislore’ has smaller flowers which are a deeper orangethan the flowers of ‘Fisrocky Orange’.

Cultivar ‘Fislore’ differs from the male parent ‘Dueimap’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 13,241) in that ‘Fislore’ lacks the small pink markings at thebase of its upper petals that is characteristic of ‘Dueimap’. Theinflorescences of ‘Fislore’ are smaller in diameter by 1-1.5 cm and thepeduncles are shorter by 5 cm. Additionally, the mature leaves of‘Fislore’ develop distinct zonation, while the mature leaves of‘Dueimap’ appear uniformly green.

Cultivar ‘Fislore’ differs from the commercial comparison variety ‘Fip440’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,964) in that the plant habit of ‘Fislore’is distinctly more compact and the peduncles are shorter. Additionally,the pedicels of ‘Fislore’ are partly brownish-red, while the pedicels of‘Fip 440’ are uniformly green.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Pelargonium plant as shown anddescribed herein.